After 5 years, white cop who escaped jail time for shooting black teen in the stomach faces civil trial

It is a curious case involving former Dallas police officer Amy Wilburn and victim Kelvion Walker.

In December 2013, Walker, then 19, was a passenger in a suspected stolen car that Wilburn and her partner were attempting to pull over.

The driver jumped out of the moving car and ran. Walker remained inside with his seat belt on.

Wilburn allegedly reached the car, opened the driver-side door, saw Walker in the passenger seat with arms raised yet pulled her gun and fired one shot at Walker even though he wasn’t armed and didn’t know the car was stolen.

It’s taken over 4 years for the female officer to be made to account for her actions. Thanks to former police Chief David Brown, Wilburn was fired after an internal investigation by the Dallas police as she was found to be in violation of the department’s policy on the use of deadly force.

She was indicted on a felony aggravated assault charge and faced the possibility of life in prison but in May, Wilburn pleaded guilty to a reduced charge of reckless discharge of a firearm for the 2013 shooting incident.

In her plea deal, she received 18 months of deferred probation. Wilburn was also required to surrender her peace officer’s certificate. She has since filed a motion to remove that plea, according to KTVT.

Her legal fees are being borne by the City of Dallas which people estimate to be $725,000. A private law firm, Fanning Harper Martinson Brandt & Kutchin PC, is engaged to defend her. The city is reported to have exhausted $640,000, in her defence.

The city council also approved an additional $150,000 to be spent on legal fees in connection to the civil lawsuit filed by Walker.

Walker, shot in the stomach, has had three lifesaving surgeries and spent more than $300,000 in medical bills, according to his attorney Geoff Henley. He is seeking reimbursement for his medical bills along with damages in his civil suit as he remains physically and emotionally scarred from the incident.  

The plaintiff’s case was strengthened as Scotty Smith, a witness, told the court he saw Walker sitting in the car with his hands up for eight to nine seconds before Wilburn shot him.

Wilburn, who was a senior corporal, will see former Police Chief David Brown on the stands to give his testimony during the trial.

It remains to be seen if Wilburn would be given a sentence to serve as a deterrent and also bring justice to Walker.